Air
pollution is becoming more and more of an issue all over the world,
prompting several automakers to develop greener vehicles with fewer
carbon emissions. With cities like London, which recently violated
the European Union's (EU) air
pollution guidelines by having 36 "bad air" days this year
when the EU only allows 35, it's no wonder auto companies like Toyota
are creating environmentally-friendly vehicles like the plug-in Prius
(which in recent tests was able to travel 62 miles per gallon).

Toyota's
plug-in Prius achieves 13 miles of all-electric range and additional
mileage from the hybrid system. According to the Inside
Lineteam,
it will be sold at a base price of $27,550, which is a $4,000 premium
the company's original Prius.

While
the plug-in
Prius has several advantages, it also has a few points against
it. For instance, achieving 62 mpg isn't really a huge feat for
the plug-in since the traditional Prius is able to reach this through
hypermiling. Also, the plug-in owner would have to drive 215,100
miles to make up for the additional cost to start, and when the price
charging is included, it will likely cost more to own a plug-in
version of the Prius because of it's dependency on the cost of
electricity.

Despite
a few downfalls, Inside Line agrees that the plug-in Prius is
"one of the best hybrids available." Vehicles like these
could certainly help situations like London's, where the EU is coming
down on them for air pollution problems that have overstepped certain
guidelines.

Monitoring
equipment in London recorded the
city's 36th "bad air" day after finding dangerous
levels of minute airborne particles. According to EU guidelines, the
city is only allowed to have 35 of these "bad air" days and
London is now the worst polluted city in Europe.

"This
latest breach is yet another wake-up call for the mayor of London and
the government," said Sarah Ludford, London Liberal Democrat
MEP. "Research has shown that airborne pollution in London could
be responsible for up to thousands of premature deaths a year; this
is an invisible
public health emergency."

The
consequences of violating these guidelines are hefty fines and
several court cases. London's government has requested an exemption
from air quality guidelines until 2011 in hopes of repairing the
problem, especially in time for the 2012 Olympics.

"Air
pollution is bad for our health," said Janez Potocnik, European
Commissioner. "It reduces human life expectancy by more than
eight months on average and by more than two years in the most
polluted cities and regions."

The
EU is growing tired with London's lack
of contribution to bettering city air quality, as the city
has neglected to follow the guidelines since 2005. In addition,
several critics have protested London's ability to receive any more
exemptions or extensions, hoping it will press the city to take
action.

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